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Fear And Reason: Which Is The Right One?
Discerning Between the Fear That Destroys and the Fear That Delivers
In civilized life, it has finally become possible for many people to live from birth to death without ever feeling true fear. Sometimes, it takes a mental breakdown to show us what fear really means.” — William James
We’ve often heard people say there are two kinds of fear: normal and abnormal. Normal fear is seen as helpful — something that protects us — while abnormal fear is harmful and should be removed.
But if you think about it, you’ll realize that there’s no so-called “normal” fear that hasn’t been absent in some people, even when they faced real danger. Throughout history, and even now, you can find people who remain completely calm in situations that would normally cause fear. They still want to stay safe, just like anyone else, but they don’t feel fear. Their reaction is based on reason and self-control, not panic.
Why are these people fearless? It could be because of their natural personality, years of training or habit, deep spiritual peace, religious experiences, or strong reasoning abilities. Whatever the reason, the important fact is this: things that cause fear in most people simply activate logical thinking or a survival instinct in these individuals , not fear itself.
